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Game 2 Analysis: Grind it out, prevent defense style of game can also favor the Penguins

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Eastern Conference Final: Penguins in for a Grind

The Eastern Conference Final has evolved into a matchup of two polar opposites.

Whichever team can be more effective in playing a mix of their own style and their opponents game is going to be in the best position to advance to the Stanley Cup Final in what’s setting up as a grinding series.

Game 1 that advantage went to Ottawa.

They dictated the terms in limiting the Penguins ability offensively to make that critical ‘next play’ and countered-punched just enough in transition.

Game 2 was a complete reversal.

The scoreboard for Game 2 says the Penguins and Senators played a one goal game in a Penguins 1-0 win to even the series at 1-1 but it was all Penguins in this one.

“We had a number of high quality chances,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of the Penguins who outshot Ottawa 29-23 and held a 57-35 advantage in shot attempts and +18 (47-29) in 5 vs 5 attempts.

The Penguins dominated the puck and zone time throughout, and minus the lack of odd-man rushes which weren’t there much again for the Penguins, Pittsburgh looked more like the Penguins in being able to play their game by getting clean zone entries but also making that next play.

“We were pleased with the way we dictated the terms out there,” added Sullivan.

A key development in the game was the Penguins also able to take a page out of the Senators playbook and forced the Senators into playing a boring brand of offensive hockey.

The Penguins played over 50 minutes with five defensemen and 11 forwards, yet, held the Senators without a shot for the first 15 minutes of the third period and including the second period, Ottawa would go over 19 minutes without a shot.

Ottawa went from having 9 high danger chances ( 5 v 5) in Game 1 to just three in Game 2.

“The third period they stepped it up a notch and we didn’t,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “They were surging, they were aggressive. We didn’t manage it well.”

There have been just four combined goals scored in the Eastern Conference Final and as the series shifts to Ottawa, the Senators believe they can win this series and were a lucky bounce or two from stealing Game 2.

That said, this grind it out prevent defense style of play doesn’t necessarily favor the Senators, even if the high scoring Penguins have just two goals in the series.

The key for the Penguins being the superior team in this type of pace, style, is limiting the chances against in transition, which they did at an elite level in Game 2.

They answered the Senators structured game with their own even better but they also cleaned things up with their puck management.

Trade Buzz: Thursday’s 1-for-1 trade of young underperforming players saw the Minnesota Wild acquire center Victor Rask from the Carolina Hurricanes for left winger Nino Niederreiter. Carolina did an excellent job of being able to get out of the Rask contract, who has three years remaining with a $4 million cap hit. Rask has 1 goal, 5 assists on the season, mirrored in a 22-game goal drought. The logic here for Minnesota is taking the chance on a playmaking center who can help fill a top-9 spot longer term if the Wild move on from Eric Staal. Minnesota is also playing the card that a change of scenery will benefit the 24-year old who posted a career-high 21 goals, 48 points in 2015-2016.

Niederreiter’s trade value was stunted because of his contract, where he has three years left on his deal with a $5.25 million cap hit. Niederreiter is a player who is extremely hard to play against, drives possession well, and has three 20 goal seasons over his last four full seasons. Injuries (18 goals in 63 games) kept him from a 4th straight 20-goal season in 17-18. The Niederreiter acquisition also sets up as great insurance for the Hurricanes if they can’t resign Micheal Ferland. In the short-term, Carolina’s center situation is a mess with Jordan Staal sidelined with a concussion, but they’re getting the better player who fits the identity they’re trying to establish upfront, especially on the wings where they’ve identified the need for Patric Hornqvist type players.